Oak is a very small word with huge connotations, especially in Burgundy. When I started in the mad, bad world of international wine-broking, Burgundy was astir. It was the golden age of Robert Parker. Richness, extraction and power were all the rage – everywhere. I remember being slightly shell-shocked at my first large tasting in Gevrey-Chambertin in 1998. Was this what burgundian delicacy was all about? The wines were not quite pea-soup, but certainly not...
Oak – the cooper's view
Monday 16 November 2020
In the first of three articles this week about oak, Matthew Hayes shares the secrets of making, and selling, barrels. Above, François Frères' barrels-to-be.
Become a member or log in to continue reading
This Mother’s Day, give the gift of great wine.
Mothering Sunday is 15 March – and a JancisRobinson.com gift membership is one of the most thoughtful presents you can give a wine lover.
For a limited time, get 20% off all annual gift memberships by entering promo code FORMUM26 at checkout. Offer ends 17 March.
Member
$135
/year
Ideal for wine enthusiasts
- Access 290,607 wine reviews & 15,949 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
Inner Circle
$249
/year
Ideal for collectors
- Access 290,607 wine reviews & 15,949 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
- Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
Professional
$299
/year
For individual wine professionals
- Access 290,607 wine reviews & 15,949 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
- Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
- Commercial use of up to 25 wine reviews & scores for marketing
Business
$399
/year
For companies in the wine trade
- Access 290,607 wine reviews & 15,949 articles
- Access The Oxford Companion to Wine & The World Atlas of Wine
- Early access to the latest wine reviews & articles, 48 hours in advance
- Commercial use of up to 250 wine reviews & scores for marketing
More Inside information
Inside information
Ferran finds Rioja as vibrant as it has ever been over its hundred-year existence as Spain’s preeminent wine region. In...
Inside information
The race to revive Santorini’s vineyards – and the challenges its winemakers are up against – in a time of...
Inside information
An ancient variety high in acidity and low in alcohol might help Franciacorta weather the effects of climate change. Last...
Inside information
Part six of an eight-part series on how to pair wine with Asian flavours, adapted from Richard’s book. Click here...
More from JancisRobinson.com
Tasting articles
Celebrating wine from clay in southern Portugal. 1,900 wine lovers can’t be wrong. In November last year they thronged to...
Wines of the week
Not cheap but a good buy considering the flood of hedonistic flavour and texture in this organic and biodynamic champagne...
Tasting articles
124 wines reviewed, revealing assorted treasures buried in the far south-western corner of Australia. See also Visiting Great Southern. The...
Mission Blind Tasting
Time to put all the details together and take a stab at determining what’s in your glass. Now that you’ve...
Tasting articles
Proof that Rioja remains a terrific source of mature wines at excellent prices. Above, one of the vineyards of El...
Travel tips
Discovering Western Australia’s wine wilderness. Come back tomorrow for reviews of wines from Great Southern. Wherever you stand in the...
Tasting articles
Plus a selection of top-quality wines made at sufficient scale that they can be found the world over. Above, Juan...
Tasting articles
A focus on single-village, single-vineyard and single-variety Rioja. Above, Juan Carlos Sancha and his mule working the Cerro la Isa...